For the Unworking and Childless Foreign Wife

[catrocks 0]

Yeah I went to the gym when I first got here. We had a gym in the apartment complex we lived in which was free. I went for like 4 months but it was just not fun going alone and it was such a small crappy gym that I was usually the only one there!

I should have joined the gym at the Y, but I figure if I start running it's something Ben and I can do together. Plus I'll be starting from scratch so it will be nice to be able to achieve something like that.

[Jeraly 4]

I've never been to a gym in my life - I'd say that was starting from scratch

[catrocks 0]

The gym frightens me.

[Jeraly 4]

Yeah - I must say the thought of going in all flabby does not appeal!!! That and I would prolly look at the equpment like torture devices and not have a clue where to start using them!! I mean how do I know what I need to do!?

[TheATeam 0]

I can't wait to use the tiny little gym room in our apartment complex. I actually prefer going alone, if I'm not going to be going with my sweetheart that is. That way no one sees my fat butt sweat so much! ~giggles~

Aly- as for going to the gym, what I do is just find a cardio machine, a bike, treadmill, stairclimber, or something that looks interesting to you, get on it and go. Don't worry so much about weights when you're first starting. They can be overwhelming. Some gyms will have personal trainers, but often they're pretty expensive. If you want, you can pm me and I can help you out a little if you need it. I've been doing some serious gym time for awhile now. I guess that's what's needed when you're 288 pounds and on the verge of being very sick! Thank goodness I'm down to 202 now, as of yesterday and still going! My babe said I needed to be under 200 before I move! ~giggles~ How's that for motivation? Some may think it's mean, but hey it's working for me!

[Caladan 19]

C.'s not a foreign wife, but I have a couple suggestions. We were a bit unusual in that he was able to have a temporary EAD and an international employer that was able to hire him during the summer, so for us the long period of not being able to work only ran from August until December. (Even going back to work with the same employer meant a longer delay than the 90 or so it took him to get his new EAD.)

C. took over a lot of the day to day housekeeping duties, as well as the majority of the organizing of our apartment trying to combine his and my stuff. One thing I would recommend is something that gets the foreign spouse out of the house for a few hours every day, whether it's volunteering, or looking at new houses, or taking exercise classes. The hardest part for us was me feeling like he was bored and needed to be entertained, and him feeling like he had nothing going on.

[Jeraly 4]

Wow! You've done a really good job!!! I'm at 172lbs which is as heavy as I have ever been and ideally I would like to get down to 140lbs - I was at 147lbs when I went on a diet last but then kinda fell off the wagon so I have some hard work ahead of me...

Will defo be calling on you when I get to a gym!! Of course talking myself into it this side of the pond just isn't happening although have a stepper at home that I have been using (sporadically) and I did some situps the other day...

I can't wait to use the tiny little gym room in our apartment complex. I actually prefer going alone, if I'm not going to be going with my sweetheart that is. That way no one sees my fat butt sweat so much! ~giggles~

Aly- as for going to the gym, what I do is just find a cardio machine, a bike, treadmill, stairclimber, or something that looks interesting to you, get on it and go. Don't worry so much about weights when you're first starting. They can be overwhelming. Some gyms will have personal trainers, but often they're pretty expensive. If you want, you can pm me and I can help you out a little if you need it. I've been doing some serious gym time for awhile now. I guess that's what's needed when you're 288 pounds and on the verge of being very sick! Thank goodness I'm down to 202 now, as of yesterday and still going! My babe said I needed to be under 200 before I move! ~giggles~ How's that for motivation? Some may think it's mean, but hey it's working for me!

[catrocks 0]

The problem I found with going to the gym alone was I just didn't have the motivation. I need someone with me or to meet up with to keep me motivated because I hate the gym.

It was nice that nobody could see me wobbling away on the treadmill though

[tucson_chick 0]

The problem I found with going to the gym alone was I just didn't have the motivation. I need someone with me or to meet up with to keep me motivated because I hate the gym.

It was nice that nobody could see me wobbling away on the treadmill though

i will start going to the gym here as soon as i have a job. at the moment it's just really not affordable. but i LOVE going to the gym. especially as it's so ridiculously hot here all the time, it's really hard to stay acitve whenever it's above 110 for 3 months straight......

other than that i'm trying to get off my chocolate addiction and take my bike to most places. i'm at 159 at the moment and need to get down to 150 at least. *sigh*

i have a phone interview tomorrow and need to prepare for that. wish so much i had friends here in tucson. *sigh*

[catrocks 0]

I can't imagine having to deal with that heat. When I went to Vegas a couple of summers ago I passed out as soon as I got out of the car from the heat! So I totally understand going to the gym for that!

It gets so humid here in the summer though, but it's between 85 and 100 in the middle of summer - it feels sooo much hotter because of the stupid humidity. So I probably won't be doing much exercise in the summer anyway!

[Jeraly 4]

The problem I found with going to the gym alone was I just didn't have the motivation. I need someone with me or to meet up with to keep me motivated because I hate the gym.

It was nice that nobody could see me wobbling away on the treadmill though

i will start going to the gym here as soon as i have a job. at the moment it's just really not affordable. but i LOVE going to the gym. especially as it's so ridiculously hot here all the time, it's really hard to stay acitve whenever it's above 110 for 3 months straight......

other than that i'm trying to get off my chocolate addiction and take my bike to most places. i'm at 159 at the moment and need to get down to 150 at least. *sigh*

i have a phone interview tomorrow and need to prepare for that. wish so much i had friends here in tucson. *sigh*

Aww - you have friends on here at VJ though And I'll come visit you in Tucson!!!

It gets hot where I will be living as well - in the 100s if we are out towards the desert :/

[tucson_chick 0]

thanks aly..... i will visit you for sure

[TheATeam 0]

I've found for myself that I can't have anyone else motivate me when it comes to the gym. My sweetheart asks me if I've been, so he keeps me accountable, but if I had to depend on someone else to actually get there, I'd never go. I've made a 100% committment to myself. That means there are no excuses, I go 6 days a week no matter what. (Well, unless I've broken a part of my body or something! ~giggles~) That's what it took for me. I knew I needed to do it and I enjoy it now after only two weeks of being super faithful!

Aly I'm always here if you need a little help!

Aww....Tuscon girl you've got us. I've heard it's really hot there. I know Boise isn't quite as hot but it's still part of the desert and when I visited last summer I was so surprised. I'm excited that there's air conditioning everywhere though! Here in Northern Alberta it's comical to see signs on stores that say "Come in, we have AIR CONDITIONING" in the summer. Down there they would never dream of NOT having air conditioning!

[melusine 5]

TheATeam, you are an exemple !

I lost a bunch of pounds too 2 years ago but i gained back half of it last year... i am really not proud of me.

But i take that move to my sweety as a new start, i am changing career field, i want to kick out bad habits, get newer and healthier ones and of course get to the gym !

I don't care to be in the middle of a bunch of skinny look how i m cute girls in a gym.... as long as i have fun, i love classes, and everything around too (cardio, muscles) anyway

Can't wait to start !!!!

[TheATeam 0]

As long as you have that attitude melusine you'll go far! Don't worry about what others think of you, more often than not they're not thinking a thing about you. They're probably worried about what you're thinking of them! ~giggles~ It took me awhile to learn and BELIEVE that one!

I'm looking forward to volunteering as well. I hope they'll take me. I've seen some postings saying that volunteer agencies won't even let the foreign wife help. I sure hope that's not the case. You would assume that they need all the help they can get!